Nasu, August 29

Location: An estimated 18,450 Nasu Customs: Eagles are people live in the southwestern corner held in great honor of . The majority, about 12,000, by many Yi groups in live in parts of western and southern China. One northwestern Jinghong County, and of their legends 6,000 inhabit areas of northeastern states, “In the in Xishuangbanna mountains there lived Prefecture of Province.1 The a girl of sixteen area is better known as the home of whose beauty was so the Tai Lu people, although numerous enchanting that the other small tribes and people groups threshold of her also live in the mountains. The home was soon worn Lancang River, better known outside out by the number of of China as the , flows people coming to through Jinghong before entering court her. But no one Southeast Asia. was sufficiently eligible for her. One Identity: The Jinghong Nasu have day… as the girl was been officially counted as part of the weaving cloth under Yi nationality in China. While the self- a huge fir-tree, she name of this group is simply Nasu, was suddenly struck the loconym Jinghong has been added by the beauty of an to distinguish this particular Nasu eagle hovering group from the several others in China overhead. She told Paul Hattaway who use the same autonym — but herself it would be wonderful if only Religion: Spirit worship is practiced by who speak widely varying languages. she could find herself a lover as brave the Jinghong Nasu at certain times as that noble bird! At this very throughout the year. Despite living Language: It is uncertain which moment, the eagle swooped down alongside the Theravada Buddhist Tai linguistic affiliation the Jinghong Nasu and shed three drops of blood on her: Lu for generations, no Nasu are language belongs to. Chinese sources one drop fell on her head, snapping known to have converted to do not comment on the Yi of off nine of her hairs; another on her Buddhism. Xishuangbanna who are comprised of waist, penetrating the seven layers of only two groups: the Jinghong Nasu clothes she was wearing; the third Christianity: A small number of and the Xiangtang. drop fell into her lap, seeping through Jinghong Nasu have become her three-layered pleated skirt. Soon it Christians in recent years in both History: The Nasu in southwest became clear that she was pregnant Jinghong and Menghai counties. Some Yunnan may have once been and she gave birth to a boy with a Yi are members of the large Three- connected to one of the other Nasu or square jaw and big eyes. This was the Self congregation in Jinghong City, Nosu groups living farther north, very hero in Yi mythology who shot which has grown from 200 to around before migrating to their present arrows at the sun and the moon and 1,000 people in the past ten years. location at least 300 years ago. Some who overpowered the god of Some Jinghong Nasu may also be Jinghong Nasu are losing their culture. Thunder.”2 members.

Language: Sino-Tibetan, Overview of the Status of Evangelization Tibeto-Burman, Burmese-Lolo, • Jinping Nasu Lolo, Northern Lolo, Yi, 84% YUNNAN Countries: China Unclassified •Zhenyuan •Kaiyuan Dialects: 0 •Mojiang Pronunciation: “Jin-ping-Nah-soo” •Cangyuan Other Names: Nasupo Religion: Animism, Ancestor Worship, Christianity •Simao Population Source: 15% •Menglian •Jinghong VIETNAM 18,000 (1999 J. Pelkey); Christians: 100 1% Scale 0 KM 160 Out of a total Yi population of Scripture: None 6,572,173 (1990 census) A B C Jesus film: None Population in China: Location: SW Yunnan: Jinghong A = Have never heard the gospel 18,000 (1999) (12,000) and Menghai (6,000) Gospel Recordings: None B = Were evangelized but did not 18,450 (2000) counties Christian Broadcasting: None become Christians C = Are adherents to any form of 23,150 (2010) ROPAL code: None Status: Christianity Location: Yunnan Officially included under Yi Religion: Animism Christians: 100

390 NASU, JINGHONG